Indiana lawmakers will push to make pseudoephedrine prescription only

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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Monday legislators announced they will continue to fight to make pseudoephedrine prescription only in the coming year.

Pseudoephedrine is a key ingredient in the production of methamphetamine. Efforts to make it prescription only have failed in prior years.

“What we need to separate is the use of methamphetamine from the production of methamphetamine, said Rep. Ben Smaltz.

Meth crimes have been popping up in some of the strangest places. In March, authorities found a meth lab and cooking tools inside a bookbag at a Muncie Walmart store. The story went viral and underscored the mobility of the drug.

Monday, the Indiana Coalition Against Meth Making Meds went at it again, pledging their support for legislation to make pseudoephedrine prescription only.

“If we’re not going to schedule it, we should at least put it behind the counter. And you should have to have a face-off with that pharmacist and look that man or woman in the eye and say you’re wanting to buy it,” said Sen. Brent Steele.

So far this year, Delaware County tops the list of meth lab seizures, with statistics from Indiana State Police showing they’ve picked up 210 labs there as of September. Counties that follow like Tippecanoe and Miami have numbers in the forties.

“There may be some action on meth as well. Unfortunately, we’ve become the Midwest capital of cooking meth, as well as it coming into the state, so we’re going to talk about a few solutions on that I’m sure,” said House Speaker Brian Bosma.

In March, Ball State University’s Center for Business and Economic Research put out a study, saying prescription pseudoephedrine could cost the state. The study cites lost sales tax revenue from moving the drug behind the counter, increases in household expenses from unnecessary doctor visits, and additional spending for Indiana Medicaid.